Olefins acid-catalyzed isomerization

P. C. Gravelle and S. J. Teichner Acid-Catalyzed Isomerization of Bicyclic Olefins... 

Mechanism. The proven acidity of the effective alkane isomerization catalysts suggests that carbocations are involved in acid-catalyzed alkane isomerization. Such a mechanism was first proposed by Schmerling and coworkers54 on the basis of the pioneering ideas of Whitmore55 for the skeletal isomerization of alkanes and cycloalkanes in the presence of aluminum chloride and a trace of olefin or other promoter. Subsequently these concepts were used to explain the mechanism of the acid-catalyzed isomerizations in general. 

All side-chain isomers are formed in acid-catalyzed isomerization. Carbonium ions are the intermediates here. Over dual-function catalysts, such as platinum-on-alumina and platinum-on-silica-alumina, platinum increases the rate of isomerization by dehydrogenating alkanes to olefins. This facilitates the formation of carbonium ions. 

We have explored rare earth oxide-modified amorphous silica-aluminas as "permanent" intermediate strength acids used as supports for bifunctional catalysts. The addition of well dispersed weakly basic rare earth oxides "titrates" the stronger acid sites of amorphous silica-alumina and lowers the acid strength to the level shown by halided aluminas. Physical and chemical probes, as well as model olefin and paraffin isomerization reactions show that acid strength can be adjusted close to that of chlorided and fluorided aluminas. Metal activity is inhibited relative to halided alumina catalysts, which limits the direct metal-catalyzed dehydrocyclization reactions during paraffin reforming but does not interfere with hydroisomerization reactions. 

Such stability is only relative, however, given the possibility of the acid-catalyzed 1,2-shift of a proton observed in some olefin epoxides of general structure 10.10 (Fig. 10.3) [12], Such a reaction occurs in the in vivo metabolism of styrene to phenylacetic acid the first metabolite formed is styrene oxide (10.10, R = Ph, Fig. 10.3, also 10.6), whose isomerization to phenyl-acetaldehyde (10.11, R = Ph, Fig. 10.3) and further dehydrogenation to phenylacetic acid has been demonstrated by deuterium-labeling studies. A com-... 

Not only can acids catalyze olefin isomerization, but strong bases can also effect isomerization. These base-catalyzed isomerizations proceed through proton abstraction of an allylic hydrogen atom followed by protonation of the allylic anion to regenerate either the original or the isomeric olefin ... 

In the present chapter, no explicit discussion or review of the acid-and/or base-catalyzed isomerization of olefins will be included. The discussion will be confined to isomerizations achieved with soluble transition metal complexes. However, it will be seen that addition and elimination reactions and allylic intermediates figure prominently in discussions of the mechanisms. 

Isomerization of olefins or paraffins is an acid-catalyzed reaction that can be carried out with any number of strong acids, including mineral acids, sulfated metal oxides, zeolites and precious metal-modified catalysts [10]. Often the catalyst contains both an acid function and a metal function. The two most prevalent catalysts are Pt/chlorided AI2O3 and Pt-loaded zeolites. The power of zeoHtes in this reaction type is due to their shape selectivity [11] and decreased sensitivity to water or other oxygenates versus AICI3. It is possible to control the selectivity of the reaction to the desired product by using a zeoHte with the proper characteristics [12]. These reactions are covered in more detail in Chapter 14. 

Raffinate-II typically consists of40 % 1-butene, 40 % 2-butene and 20 % butane isomers. [RhH(CO)(TPPTS)3] does not catalyze the hydroformylation of internal olefins, neither their isomerization to terminal alkenes. It follows, that in addition to the 20 % butane in the feed, the 2-butene content will not react either. Following separation of the aqueous catalyts phase and the organic phase of aldehydes, the latter is freed from dissolved 2-butene and butane with a counter flow of synthesis gas. The crude aldehyde mixture is fractionated to yield n-valeraldehyde (95 %) and isovaleraldehyde (5 %) which are then oxidized to valeric add. Esters of n-valeric acid are used as lubricants. Unreacted butenes (mostly 2-butene) are hydroformylated and hydrogenated in a high pressure cobalt-catalyzed process to a mixture of isomeric amyl alcohols, while the remaining unreactive components (mostly butane) are used for power generation. Production of valeraldehydes was 12.000 t in 1995 [8] and was expected to increase later. 

Therefore, the base-catalyzed reaction of isobutylene yields the same dimer as the acid-catalyzed reaction although the mechanisms are completely different. Since olefin isomerizations are also catalyzed under these conditions, an equilibrium distribution of products is expected for example, the reaction of isobutylene yields 78% of 2,4,4-trimethyl-l-pentene and 22% of 2.4,4-trimethyl-2-pentene. 

Babler and Schlidt [86] described a route to a versatile C15 phosphonate, used for a stereoselective synthesis of all E retinoic acid and p-carotene. Base-catalyzed isomerization of the vinyl-phosphonate afforded the corresponding allyl-phosphonate as the sole product. Homer-Emmons olefination with ethyl 3-methyl-4-oxo-2-butenoate concluded the facile synthesis of all E ethyl retinoate. The C15 phosphonate was synthesized starting from the epoxide of P-ionone. Subsequent isomerization with MgBr2, afforded the C14 aldehyde in 93%... 

As in the case of the base-catalyzed reaction, the thermodynamically most stable olefin is the one predominantly formed. However, the acid-catalyzed reaction is much less synthetically useful because carbocations give rise to many side products. If the substrate has several possible locations for a double bond, mixtures of all possible isomers are usually obtained. Isomerization of 1-decene, for example, gives a mixture that contains not only 1-decene and cis- and trans-2-decene but also the cis and trans isomers of 3-, 4-, and 5-decene as well as branched alkenes resulting from rearrangement of carbocations. It is true that the most stable olefins predominate, but many of them have stabilities that are close together. Acid-catalyzed migration of triple bonds (with allene intermediates) can be accomplished if very strong acids (e.g., HF-PF5) are used.66 If the mechanism is the same as that for double bonds, vinyl cations are intermediates. 

The platforming catalyst was the first example of a reforming catalyst having two functions.43 44 93 100-103 The functions of this bifunctional catalyst consist of platinum-catalyzed reactions (dehydrogenation of cycloalkanes to aromatics, hydrogenation of olefins, and dehydrocyclization) and acid-catalyzed reactions (isomerization of alkanes and cycloalkanes). Hyrocracking is usually an undesirable reaction since it produces gaseous products. However, it may contribute to octane enhancement. n-Decane, for example, can hydrocrack to C3 and C7 hydrocarbons the latter is further transformed to aromatics. 

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